Page 128 of You + Me – Against the World

You have to pick your battles.

I sit cross-legged, while she stretches out full length, her arms and legs spread wide like a star, her eyes closed as she soaks up the April sun. I twirl some blades of grass between my fingers, then take the plunge, though it doesn’t come out the way I had planned.

“I wanted to talk to you about Vadim. About Vadim and me.”

How articulate, Emma…

“What’s that got to do with me?” Cheyenne sits up to face me.

“I don’t know what you were hoping for that night when you showed up at his place, but I want to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Ever.”

This time, the message gets through.

“And I’m supposed to follow your rules just to keep you happy, Al-ma?” She emphasizes my name, then lets out a mean, little laugh.

I have the feeling she’s trying to get under my skin, but I know how to control myself better than she does.

“No, out of respect. Vadim told me that it was something you value. So, I would like you to respect me. To respect the fact that we are a couple and that there are enough people who have tried to separate us without you trying as well.”

“Hmm… like Beauty and the Beast? Jasmine and Aladdin? Impossible love, that kind of thing?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t like me very much, do you?”

“You haven’t exactly made a strong case for yourself.”

Her smile reveals her beautiful teeth.

“I didn’t want to believe it, but he told me you can be pretty quick with a comeback.”

“He isn’t the type to lie about people.”

“Vadim is really in love with you, you know? There aren’t many guys who would defend their girlfriend when they could just laugh stupidly at other people’s jokes instead.”

“Yes, and that’s why I don’t want to lose him.” I whisper those last few words, and cracks start to show in my armor.

“He’s your soulmate. No one can steal him from you.” The brunette sighs, then lies down again.

“Do you believe what you just said?”

“What do you think, Princess?”

Hearing that stupid nickname, I groan.

“I find it funny calling you that… and I enjoyed scaring you the other night. Well-mannered girls from respectable families aren’t my thing. They are born with privileges I’ll never have, even if I work like crazy. So maybe I overdid it a bit.”

She admits she was out of line, but doesn’t stoop to apologizing. Her audacity makes me smile.

“You tried your luck, Cheyenne. Now, you can back off.”

“I don’t take orders from anyone, Alma. But it’s pretty brave of you to come tell me all this. You know, defend your territory and try to eliminate your rival. You’re almost going up in my estimation.”

She sneers a little as she says it, and I mimic her when I reply.

“Am I supposed to say thank you?”

“Nope. But I like determined girls like you, even when they look like fragile, little sparrows. Your man is like a magnet for them, so you’d still better keep an eye on him. And don’t forget that, sooner or later, a guy’s demons will always catch up with him.”